DETROIT – Ford Motor on Wednesday reported a 10.5% decline in April sales compared to a year ago, notably narrowing its losses compared to recent months.
Ford and the broader auto industry continue to battle through supply chain problems such as a semiconductor chip shortage that has been affecting production for more than a year now. Ford’s monthly U.S. sales in February and March were down by more than 20% due to the problem.
“While industry semiconductor chip shortages persist, improved inventory flow in April delivered a significant share gain of 1 percentage point over a year ago with Ford outperforming the industry,” Andrew Frick, Ford vice president of sales, distribution and trucks, said in a statement.
Ford has been attempting to prioritize chip supplies for in-demand products such as the electric Mustang Mach-E crossover, which nearly doubled in sales compared to April 2021. Sales of newer vehicles such as the Maverick small pickup and Bronco SUV also improved compared to March.
Sales of Ford’s crucial F-Series full-size pickup trucks, including the F-150, continue to struggle due to supply problems. Sales were down 22% last month, pushing sales for the year to be down by nearly 30%. F-Series sales did increase by 15% compared to March, signaling improved production and supplies.
Ford sold 609,097 vehicles through April, a 15% decline compared to a year earlier. Ford’s sales from March to April increased by 11%.
